What do you recommend to a reader who is new to Heinlein?
I like to recommend Methuselah’s Children because it’s where we meet Lazarus Long. The beginning of the Future History, although Lazarus did meet Pinero.
I like his early 50s-60s work (some were written for youth):
The Star Beast
Tunnel in the Sky
Starship Troopers
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
And then there is the whole Lazarus Long saga, which contains some controversial sexual ideas (incest/pedo). IMO the first books in the saga are better.
In my opinion, his earlier stories were alot easier to read. To this day I still recommend Starship Troopers and Citizen of the Galaxy, not just to anyone new to Heinlein, but anyone looking for a good story to read.